Fate of Freewill Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Fate of Freewill - Essay Example The text explores a variety of themes, including fate vs. free will, as well as religious concerns related to Anglo-Saxon belief and Christian ideology. This essay examines these themes and argues that they demonstrate Beowulf is a text that embraces free will most firmly. Fate and free both play prominent roles in Beowulf. Ostensibly, the poem embraces the notion of fate. In these regards, the poet indicates that God controls the characters’ actions. The poem states, â€Å"Fate goes ever as fate must† (31). This statement refers to the notion of fate as dictating the lives and actions of the main characters. While the epic poem ostensibly embraces fate, in other instances, it seems to adopt an epistemological outlook that indicates the characters are responsible for their actions. One considers that the poem states, â€Å"And a young prince must be prudent like that, giving freely while his father lives so that afterwards in age when fighting starts steadfast companions will stand by him and hold the line. Behavior that’s admired is the path to power among people everywhere† (20-25). This statement considers the nature of behavior in warrior society. The emphasis on behavior is a clear embracement of the notion of human fr ee will. Ultimately, both fate and free will are exemplified in the poem. Beowulf also explores Anglo-Saxon and Christian religious ideology. The contrasting position of religious ideology and Anglo-Saxon belief in the story seems to indicate that the text most comprehensively embraces free will. Christian ideology is a prominent part of the text, as God is viewed as overseeing the action in the story. Additionally, the importance of being humble is viewed as deriving from Christian ideology. In this way, Christian ideology is woven into the very fabric of the text. In addition to these elements, however, Anglo-Saxon elements are considered that at times are not